Key Attributes of the Emotional Domain Children who are optimally self-regulated in the emotional domain will demonstrate these key attributes:
the ability to modulate strong emotions
emotional resiliency --- the ability to recover from disappointment, challenging situations, embarrassment, and other difficulties, and move forward confidently and positively
willingness and interest to experiment and to learn, on their own and in collaboration with others
a desire to create and innovate, and while doing so to use a wide range of strategies and techniques
a healthy self-esteem that is based on awareness of personal efforts and achievements --- as well as those of others (Shanker, 2013, p. 22)
Be conscious of your emotions and attempts to self-regulate throughout the day.
Acquaint yourself with the many resources on emotional self-regulation (e.g. videos, reports, tips) appropriate for the age of your students that are offered on websites such as CASEL, Edutopia, and the Canadian Safe School Network (SNAP program). These will help your students develop the key attributes of optimal emotional self-regulation. (see Home page for the 'Six Critical Elements to Optimal Self-Regulation)
Look for ways to encourage the development of emotion regulation throughout the day --- do not teach it in isolation. For example:
--- encourage cooperation, tolerance, and respect whenever your students are working in pairs or small groups in any subject area and when they are playing in the
playground
--- raise awareness of emotion-related content in any material your students are reading, writing, role-playing, and so on.
Consider --- and be sensitive to --- how your students' cultural and/or social backgrounds may affect their awareness of emotions and attempts at emotion regulation.
If possible, introduce yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises, or meditation to your class as a way to regulate emotions.
Help your students learn to express how they are feeling verbally so they will be less likely to act out physically.
Model self-regulation for your students when faced with frustrating situations in the classroom. For example, try to focus on the emotion that may be driving a student to misbehave rather than on the misbehaviour itself. Your students will notice such co-regulating practices.
When possible, involve families in students' attempts at emotion regulation by, for example, discussing the benefits of their child spending more time being physically active and reading and less time watching television and playing video games (Shanker, 2013, pp. 43-44 ).
Other Ideas
Teach 'Effective Communication'. Communication skills are the building blocks of every relationship.
Use a 'Community Circle' or 'Classroom Meeting' to encourage children to appreciate/compliment others, discuss issues and concerns, problem solve collaboratively, and build an emotional vocabulary.
Adapt the 5-Point Scale to work for you. Eg. Tribles (a Tribes strategy) (Nelson, 2013)
Supports: Working with Parents For parents inquiring about ways to help improve their child's motor skills, you might suggest they try to involve the child in some of the following activities:
clapping, tapping, jumping, or skipping along with music
playing a keyboard or percussion instrument with both hands
performing finger plays
doing jumping jacks
imitating animals that walk sideways or, for older children, throwing and catching balls while sliding sideways
playing games such as hopscotch or Sharks and Minnow (Shanker, 2013, p. 24)
For parents inquiring about ways to help their child better self-regulate at home, you might suggest that they
provide as predictable a routine as possible
let their child take responsibility for tasks, and for monitoring their own success at completing each task
help relieve the child's stress by making them aware of upcoming transitions
model self-regulation in their own behaviour (Shanker, 2013, p. 29)
For parents inquiring about ways to help their child cope with frustration and other negative emotions at home, you might suggest that they
encourage the child to talk freely about what he or she is feeling frustrated about
role-play with the child what happened to cause the frustration and appropriate ways for dealing with it
help the child to recognize the signs his or her body sends when feelings of frustration or nager first start (for example, gritted teeth, tense body, pounding heart, clenched fists), so feelings can be controlled before they get out of hand
encourage appropriate physical activity (Shanker, 2013, p. 42)
Neurological Research
Cherniss, C., Extein, M., Goleman, D., & Weissberg, R. P. (2006). Emotional intelligence: what does the research really indicate?. Educational Psychologist, 41(4), 239-245.
Goleman, D. (2008). Destructive emotions: A scientific dialogue with the Dalai Lama. NewYork: Bantam.
Seligman, M. E., Ernst, R. M., Gillham, J., Reivich, K., & Linkins, M. (2009). Positive education: Positive psychology and classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 293-311.
Key Attributes of the Emotional Domain
Children who are optimally self-regulated in the emotional domain will demonstrate these key attributes:
Interventions:
Strategies:
Encouraging Emotion Regulation
--- encourage cooperation, tolerance, and respect whenever your students are working in pairs or small groups in any subject area and when they are playing in the
playground
--- raise awareness of emotion-related content in any material your students are reading, writing, role-playing, and so on.
Other Ideas
Supports:
Working with Parents
For parents inquiring about ways to help improve their child's motor skills, you might suggest they try to involve the child in some of the following activities:
For parents inquiring about ways to help their child better self-regulate at home, you might suggest that they
For parents inquiring about ways to help their child cope with frustration and other negative emotions at home, you might suggest that they
Cherniss, C., Extein, M., Goleman, D., & Weissberg, R. P. (2006). Emotional intelligence: what does the research really indicate?. Educational Psychologist, 41(4), 239-245.
Goleman, D. (2008). Destructive emotions: A scientific dialogue with the Dalai Lama. NewYork: Bantam.
Lieberman, M.D., Eisenberger, N.I., Crockett, M.J., Tom, S.M., Pfeifer, J.H. & Way, B.M., 2007. Putting Feelings in to Words: Affect Labeling Disrupts Amygdala Activity in Response to Affective Stimuli, Psychological Science, 18, 5, p. 421-428.
Seligman, M. E., Ernst, R. M., Gillham, J., Reivich, K., & Linkins, M. (2009). Positive education: Positive psychology and classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 293-311.